My Home Is With You
by OTH-FOQ
Summary: Post 3x22. Regina is upset with Emma and leaves the diner. Emma goes after her. SwanQueen with mentions of CS.


**_Booooo this season 3 finale! At the moment I am very much thinking of not watching season 4._**

**_Maybe this feeling of utter disappointment will go away during the hiatus but as of now, I kind of lost my faith in SwanQueen ever happening. THAT BEING SAID, I will always ship Emma/Regina. To me, they belong together._**

**_Anyway, this is my take on what should happen right at the end of this episode... and we know it won't happen that way but whatever._**

**_Let me know what you think, of the story and of OUAT in general!_**

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Regina leaves the diner right after she spits a few more hateful words toward Emma. The Savior can only watch, helpless, as the older woman makes a beeline for the door. Robin doesn't even notice that she's gone; too busy with hugging his wife and his son. Emma is happy to see this family reunited, but she's also terribly sad because of what she's done and she hates it. Hook stands up and stills next to her, his hand resting on her shoulder.

"Swan. You did the right thing. You saved that boy's mother."

"I know."

"You couldn't have known she was Robin's lady."

"I _know_," she repeats, annoyed.

She shrugs his hand off and feels bad for being rude to him when he is only trying to comfort her. That's the problem, though. She is not the one who needs to be comforted. Emma's eyes find her mother's. Snow is looking at her with wide eyes and then, she nods once, sharply. Emma understands and she doesn't wait any longer. She walks to the door and pushes it open, ignoring Hook's question. Regina can't have gone far, unless she used her magic to get away from the diner as fast as she could. Emma chooses to go left.

After a minute of running in that direction and still no sign of Regina, she stops and takes a deep breath.

"Okay. Okay, Swan. You can do this."

She closes her eyes and her mind conjures up an image of Regina. She keeps repeating the woman's name in her thoughts, hoping that it will be enough to transport her to wherever the former evil queen is now.

It takes her quite a while and Emma's almost ready to give up when she feels suddenly very light, as if she weighs no more than a feather. Before her eyes open again, she can smell the salt in the air, and the breeze is running through her hair. She's at the pier, and sure enough, Regina is too. She is leaning against the railing and her eyes are down, gazing at the water beneath her. She seems relaxed but her body immediately stiffens when she feels Emma's presence next to her.

"I see you've got your magic back. True Love's Kiss with the pirate?"

"I—no. I got it back when we were stuck in the past. When I thought of home."

Regina doesn't reply, as if she absolutely doesn't care. Maybe she doesn't, Emma thinks. At least she hasn't turned her into a snail so Emma sighs and carefully approaches Regina. Once there are only a couple of feet between them, she imitates the brunette and leans against the railing, facing away from the sea.

"I'm really sorry, Regina. She never told me her name."

"If she had, what would you have done? Would you have left her in that cell to be executed?"

Emma remains silent because they already both know the answer. Of course she would never have left Marian to die. She is the Savior, after all. That's what she does; she saves people.

"I know you're angry at me—"

"Angry doesn't even begin to cover it, Miss Swan."

The use of her last name feels like a slap in the face. Emma struggles to find her next words.

"I never meant for this to happen."

"Go home, Miss Swan. I do not want to talk to you right now. I'll contact you to discuss Henry's living arrangements in a few days. He can stay with you for now as I don't think he should see me like this."

"Regina—"

"That is not open to discussion."

Emma finally has enough and she grabs Regina's arm to spin her around. The response is immediate: Regina turns to face her, fury in her eyes, and Emma is taken aback by their intensity. There are tears shining in those brown orbs but Regina stubbornly refused to let them fall. It's the fire that Emma can see dancing in Regina's eyes that make her step back.

"Do _not_ touch me! You have no idea how close—how _close_ I am right now to revert back to who I was! You don't know how _tempting_ the darkness is right now, Emma, so I am telling—no, I am _ordering_ you to leave me alone!"

The Savior suddenly feels like she is back in the Enchanted Forest, standing in front of the glorious Evil Queen. Never before has Regina seemed so much like her. It is frightening, really, but Emma is rooted in her spot. She can't move, and she doesn't want to. Regina ignores her and starts to walk away from her. Emma reacts several seconds later, and she follows Regina at a distance, praying that the woman will not obliterate her for disobeying her order.

"What about Henry?" she asks in an attempt to calm Regina. "What if he asks why he can't come to see you?"

"Well I'm sure you'll come up with something. Besides, he'll be thrilled that his mother is now dating the pirate so that will distract him for a day or two."

"Regina, please, stop. Let's talk about this."

"We have."

"I would never hurt you intentionally!" Emma yells.

At least _that_ makes Regina stop. Slowly, she turns to face Emma once again, and the look in her eyes is murderous _and_ vulnerable at the same time. Emma doesn't understand how such a thing is possible, but it is. Regina walks toward her, menacingly, and doesn't stop until she is close enough that she could head-butt Emma if she wanted to.

"No? How about we discuss your eagerness to take my son back to New-York? Don't you think that would have hurt me?"

Emma swallows twice and blinks. She hasn't even thought about that.

"I was going to tell you."

"When? When your bags were packed and you were ready to cross the town line?"

"It was a mistake, alright? I get that now. I messed up. I shouldn't have. I—Regina I am not perfect, I am bound to mess up some times."

"Some times?" Regina scoffs.

The tears refuse to be held back any longer and they roll silently on Regina's cheeks. Emma's heart clenches at the sight and she's not quite sure why she feels so heartbroken. Regina makes no move to wipe them off, as if by pretending they are not here she will not acknowledge her weakness.

"He is my son, Emma. If you are trying to kill every bit of happiness in my life, you just have to take him away. Don't you understand that?"

"I know. It was selfish. I realize that. But we're not leaving anymore. We're here. We're staying."

"Why did you want to leave in the first place? Your family is here."

"It's complicated. But our life in New-York… it was good, Regina."

"I know."

Realization dawns on Emma at this precise moment. Of course Regina knows; she is the one who gave Emma everything she ever wanted. And Emma never even thanked her for it.

"About the memories…"

"Don't. I robbed you of a good life with your parents, Emma. It was the least I could do and I never expected anything in return."

"Still, I should have thanked you. I know how hard it was for you, and I can't imagine the year that you spent in the Enchanted Forest, thinking that you'd never see your son again."

Regina's traits soften and Emma slowly raises her right hand and places it on Regina's arm.

"I promise you Henry's not going anywhere."

"You should go back to the diner. I'm sure everyone's wondering where you disappeared."

"It doesn't matter. Let me walk you home?"

"That won't be necessary."

"Please. I don't want you to feel as if you're alone, because you're not. I screwed up, yes, but that doesn't mean that you have to be alone because of me."

"Emma…" Regina starts with a tired sigh.

"No, I mean it. I took your second chance at love away from you and I will never apologize enough for that, but I refuse to let you think that you are not worthy. You need a friend right now, and I am here. Please let me be here."

For a minute, Regina looks as if she is going to refuse and push Emma away. In the end, she sniffles and finally wipes her tears and nods silently. Emma takes that as an agreement and starts walking them in the direction of Mifflin Street. Her hand, which was on Regina's arm, slips behind her back and hovers there for a few seconds before Emma drops it at her side. It brushes against Regina's but neither of them mentions it. Emma doesn't mind their closeness as they walk. It could be comfortable if she didn't feel so shitty about tonight's events.

"It might not work out between them, you know?"

"What?"

"Robin and Marian. Maybe he got over her in the thirty something years that she was missing."

"You never get over your True Love."

"I thought he was yours?"

"No dear, Robin was my soulmate."

"Isn't that even stronger than a True Love?"

"We are fairytale characters, Miss Swan. In our world, nothing is stronger than True Love."

"You still have a chance, then."

"I believe Daniel was my True Love."

Emma looks at her briefly as their hands brush once again.

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't doubt that you loved him and he loved you… just that maybe he was your first love?"

Her words hang in the air and it's a while before Regina exhales and speaks:

"Perhaps you're right. However with everything that's happened I don't believe I'll ever find my True Love. I must make my peace with that."

"You never know."

"I didn't think you were such an optimist," Regina says with a bitter chuckle.

"Well, I didn't think I'd ever kiss Hook willingly, yet here we are."

The smile on Regina's face disappears as soon as the pirate's name leaves Emma's mouth, and the blonde notices.

"What's wrong?"

"Just be careful with him. He is a pirate, after all."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"I am not thrilled that Henry will be around him so much, but I suppose there is nothing I can do to prevent it. Unless I turn him into a toad, or something."

Emma grins at her last remark but she sobers up quickly.

"Is there something that you know about Hook and that you're not sharing?"

Her question is met with a silence that is more telling than any words Regina could have spoken.

"No," Regina finally says quietly. "It is not my business. But tell me something, Emma.

"Yes?"

"You lost your magic because you kissed him, didn't you?"

"Yes," Emma admits sheepishly.

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

Emma stops walking at once and her hand grabs Regina's to spin the woman around.

"What?" She asks, more sternly this time.

"It's just… If Zelena had cast a curse on his lips and Hook is your True Love, how come you didn't break this curse when you kissed him?"

"You—you think Hook's my True Love?"

The blonde looks quite incredulous and Regina raises an eyebrow.

"Don't you? Why would you be dating him, then?"

"I don't know, Hook's been nothing but supportive of me lately and he's helped me a great deal."

"You don't love him?"

"I… care about him. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I love him. I'm not even sure that I _like_ him."

"You lost me," Regina replies as she frowns in confusion. "Why would you be with someone you're not sure you like?"

Emma chuckles and looks down at her feet. It's in this moment that she realizes that she is still holding Regina's hand. Hesitantly, she loosens her grip on it only to feel Regina's fingers tightening theirs. She looks up, surprised, but Regina's face betrays nothing.

"I just… feel lonely, you know. And Hook's here and he's not unattractive and he'd do anything for me so…"

"So you're settling for him when you could do much better."

Only then does Regina let go of Emma's hand as she resumes walking. Her house is just around the corner of the street now. Emma is too astounded to follow her right away but she jogs after Regina as soon as she recovers from her surprise.

"Hey! What did you mean by that?"

"I don't believe my words were _that_ hard to understand. I merely believe that you are worth much more than the pirate."

"Is that… a compliment?"

"Hardly," Regina scoffs. "Hook is not exactly a man I have a very high esteem of."

"Yeah, I get that you don't like him."

They reach Regina's mansion and remain silent until they are at the door. Emma doesn't really know what to say now. She is certain that Regina will not invite her inside. Sure enough, it is Regina who speaks first.

"I am not angry at you for saving an innocent from my wrath, Miss Swan."

"Emma," she corrects instinctively.

"However, I can't help but feel disappointed and betrayed at this moment."

"I understand. I really am sorry."

"Stop apologizing. We will talk in a couple of days, about Henry. Give him my phone number so that he can call me anytime."

"I will."

Regina unlocks her door and steps inside.

"I meant what I said, Regina. I am your friend. If you need to talk, about anything really…"

"I will keep that in mind. Goodnight Emma."

Emma offers a soft smile and she replies:

"Goodnight Regina."

The door closes and Emma sighs. Hopefully she hasn't ruined her relationship with Regina. She is determined to make up for her mistake. She knows that Regina will need some space, and certainly time before she can trust Emma again, but Emma was telling the truth: Storybrooke is her home and she is not going anywhere. They have all the time in the world.

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**_Oh, I think this was just a one-shot. I might write more later but if I do it won't be before a month at least._**

**_OTH-FOQ_**


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